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Core i5-2540M vs i3-2100


Description
Both models i5-2540M and i3-2100 are based on Sandy Bridge architecture.

"Sandy Bridge codename was originally ""Gesher"". The development began in 2005 and four years later, the first Sandy Bridge CPU was presented. The most prominent features are Intel Turbo Boost 2.0, AES encryption and SHA-1 hashing acceleration, Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) 256-bit instruction set and the ability to have up to 8 physical cores or 16 logical cores through Hyper-Threading."

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the i5-2540M gets a score of 48.6 k points while the i3-2100 gets 40.1 k points.

Summarizing, the i5-2540M is 1.2 times faster than the i3-2100 . To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
206a7
206a7
Core
Sandy Bridge
Architecture
Base frecuency
2.6 GHz
3.1 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.3 GHz
3.1 GHz
Socket
BGA 1023, rPGA 988B
LGA 1155
Cores/Threads
2/4
2/4
TDP
35 W
65 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
2x32+2x32 kB
2x32+2x32 kB
Cache L2
2x256 kB
2x256 kB
Cache L3
3072 kB
3072 kB
Date
February 2011
February 2011
Mean monothread perf.
21.12k points
19.52k points
Mean multithread perf.
48.62k points
40.1k points

AVX optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode II (AVX) is optimized to used 256 bits registers beside the first version of the Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX). The first AVX compatible CPU was released in 2011.
Monothread
i5-2540M
i3-2100
Test#1 (Integers)
7.8k
7.07k (x0.91)
Test#2 (FP)
7.03k
7.16k (x1.02)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.36k
2.62k (x0.78)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.93k
2.67k (x0.91)
TOTAL
21.12k
19.52k (x0.92)

Multithread

i5-2540M

i3-2100
Test#1 (Integers)
18.55k
14.19k (x0.77)
Test#2 (FP)
17.42k
15.19k (x0.87)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
8.43k
7.26k (x0.86)
Test#1 (Memory)
4.22k
3.46k (x0.82)
TOTAL
48.62k
40.1k (x0.82)

Performance/W
i5-2540M
i3-2100
Test#1 (Integers)
530 points/W
218 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
498 points/W
234 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
241 points/W
112 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
121 points/W
53 points/W
TOTAL
1389 points/W
617 points/W

Performance/GHz
i5-2540M
i3-2100
Test#1 (Integers)
2364 points/GHz
2279 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
2132 points/GHz
2311 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1017 points/GHz
845 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
888 points/GHz
862 points/GHz
TOTAL
6400 points/GHz
6297 points/GHz

Monothread performance graph
Monothread performance graphics gives the performance vs time. They are useful to measure the time it takes to the CPU to reach the maximum performance.

Usually, CPU's performance will be steady during these tests but if it has a slow frequency strategy, the first samples will show a lower score.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Multithread performance graph
Multithread graphs measure the performance against a heavy load during certain time.

If CPU's TDP doesn't limit the frequency and the machine is properly cooled, performance should remain steady vs time. Otherwise, the performance score will oscillate or decrease over time.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Hardlimit Benchmark Central - Ver. 3.11.4